With the objective to empower and encourage human and social agency, CED-BRACU has been associated with the UNESCO Chair on “Responsible Foresight for Sustainable Development” in the Lincoln International Business School at the University of Lincoln in March 2019.
The core identity of the project is the use of the future to inspire responsible actions in the present. “Using the future” includes imagination, anticipation and aspiration to create a stronger sense of possibility and self-belief by discovering what should be done and what can be done in each specific context to improve human flourishing.
The approach is collaborative; Lincoln’s contribution is facilitation of research and learning to support the activities of partners, who are experts in their own fields. The purpose of the Chair is to promote an integrated system of research, training, information and documentation on responsible foresight for sustainable development.
The Chair will facilitate collaboration between high-level, internationally-recognized researchers and teaching staff of the University and other institutions (such as NGOs, governments and enterprises) in Europe, Africa, Asia, the Arab States, Latin America and North America. Prospective partners from each of these areas also supported the program from Bangladesh, Colombia, Finland, India, Italy, Jordan, Malaysia, Nigeria, Romania, South Africa, Tunisia, USA and Uruguay.
The main purpose of this is to build a global network with shared approaches to Responsible Foresight for Sustainable Development. Certain target beneficiaries of the program include: Students, Academics, Professional practitioners, and the Government.
The themes of the program are as follows:
- Responsible anticipation and foresight in shaping Sustainable Development Goals,
- Responsible anticipatory governance
- Women in Responsible Entrepreneurship
- Emerging technologies, enterprise and sustainable development
- Community based restorative anticipation
Given the extended experience in entrepreneurship development and being a partner of UNESCO Chair from Bangladesh, CED-BRACU will support the program through working on Student business and social enterprise incubation, including women business teams, microfinancing of female run enterprises, especially disadvantaged women run business, and women’s rights and responsibilities in the garment industry.